The present invention relates to deodorizer devices and methods, and particularly to devices and methods for deodorizing shoes.
Shoe odor is a common problem. For this reason, it is generally recommended not to wear the same pair of shoes for extended periods of time in order to permit them to air out by themselves. However, this is not always possible or convenient. Therefore, dispensers have been developed for dispensing deodorizer materials directly into the shoes, but such dispensers dispense the deodorizer material from the top of the dispenser. This is somewhat awkward since the dispenser must be held by one hand and the shoe held by the other, and the user must manipulate the dispenser and/or the shoe in order to dispense the material within the shoe. Moreover, with the conventional shoe deodorant sprays, it is almost impossible to spray into the foot portion of high boots or high top sneakers.
An object of the present invention is to provide a device and method having advantages in the above respects for deodorizing shoes.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a deodorizer device for deodorizing shoe, comprising: a container containing deodorizer material; and a dispenser assembly at one end of the container for dispensing deodorizer material therefrom; the dispenser assembly including a feed tube having one end located within the container and the opposite end communicating with at least one discharge opening externally of the container for discharging deodorizer material laterally of the container; the dispenser assembly further including an actuator attached at one end to the feed tube; the actuator being in the form of a cap having a socket at one end coaxial with, and dimensioned to receive, the opposite end of the feed tube, the opposite end of the cap being dimensioned and configured to enable the container to stably rest in the inverted position within the shoe with the one end of the container and the dispensing assembly disposed within the shoe, and the opposite end of the container extending outwardly of the shoe, to enable a quantity of the deodorizer material to be dispensed into the shoe by pressing against the opposite end of the container.
The present invention thus distinguishes from conventional shoe sprays, which have the dispensing valve located on the top of the container and are displayed in stores, kept by the consumer, and used by the consumer, in this upright position. A device constructed in accordance with this feature of the invention would have the dispensing valve located on the bottom of the container, and would be displayed, stored and used with the dispensing valve on the bottom. This means the package should be stable when standing in this inverted position. By having the package stable in this inverted position, the user can easily pick it up, place it directly into a shoe (without inverting it), and just press down to actuate the valve. With conventional shoe sprays the valve is actuated by a finger pressing against the actuator button, whereas in the novel device, the valve is actuated by the shoe pressing against the actuator.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of deodorizing shoes, by providing a deodorizer device as described above; inserting the deodorizer device into a shoe, with the container in inverted position such that the actuator is at the bottom of the container; stably resting the container in this inverted position on the inner surface of the shoe bottom; and pressing downwardly the opposite end of the container for discharging a quantity of deodorizer material into the shoe.
The invention may be embodied in different types of dispensers. For example, the container may be of the type which contains a quantity of a deodorizer material pressurized by a gas propellant, in which case the dispenser assembly would include a normally-closed valve which is opened by the actuator when pressed against the inner surface of the shoe bottom to dispense a quantity of deodorizer material via the discharge opening laterally of the dispenser assembly and into the shoe. Another type is one wherein the container contains a quantity of an unpressurized deodorizer material (liquid or powder), and the dispenser assembly includes a manual pump which is pumped by the actuator when pressed against the inner surface of the shoe bottom to dispense a quantity of the deodorizer material via the discharge opening laterally of the dispenser assembly and into the shoe.
Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description below.